Cartoon by Hadi Heidari

Iran teachers’ union urge nationwide school strike to mourn slain students

Iran International: An Iranian teachers’ union called on Monday for a nationwide school shutdown on Feb. 18 as a day of mourning and protest over the killing of school students during the unrest.

The Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations urged teachers to stay away from classrooms and education offices and asked parents not to send their children to school that day.

In a statement, the umbrella group, which links teachers’ trade associations across several provinces, said more than 230 children and teenagers had been killed by government forces during the protests.

The union also encouraged teachers and the public to attend 40th-day memorial ceremonies for those killed, saying empty classroom seats should not become routine and that schools should serve as a place to demand the right to life.